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Google has rolled out its enhanced sitelinks to any market where AdWords can be bought. The format combines several unique links within one unit, using one for a store locator and another for ordering, for example. Google says the ad units garner a higher click-through rate. Brands can maximize pay-per-click campaigns by ensuring that ads rise above the organic search results, using six to 10 unique links, and running multiple-ad campaigns tracking to the same landing pages.

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Marketers using Google's AdWords can now display their Google+ follower count within Enhanced Campaigns. Google claims that showing off this figure will result in a 5% to 10% higher click-thru rate. Red Bull, National Geographic and H&M are among the brands testing the new ad copy, which can be used by companies with at least 100 followers on Google+.

AdRoll and TellApart say that new Facebook Exchange ads that allow more finely tailored retargeting are proving more effective than generic FBX ads. AdRoll says its clients have enjoyed a 102% higher click-thru rate compared with static ads. TellApart sees a 6.65% CTR for its dynamic ads via FBX, compared with a 6.41% CTR when run on Google's AdX exchange.

Pay-per-click sponsored results account for nearly 2 out of 3 Internet ad click-thrus for searchers of "high commercial intent" keywords on Google, according to a study by WordStream shown in this infographic. Even if you rank highly for certain keywords, buying search ads is still a smart move: Nearly 90% of traffic generated by the ads were out of organic search's reach, according to the study.

Google has increased the value of its AdWords by allowing brands to tell consumers about their mobile applications, writes John Lee. The ad extensions promise a lift in click-thru rate, with Google citing a 6% rise in beta tests, but are expected to also increase the downloading of branded mobile apps. Google has devised click-to-download mobile ads to contain more information as well.

The average click-through-rate for paid search advertising campaigns on Bing and Google increased last year, a Marin Software study found. Google's CTR went from 1.59% in Q4 2010 to 2.36% in Q4 2011, with a cost-per-click of $1.02, though the CTR peaked in Q3 because of the surfeit of holiday ads in Q4. Increasing CTR and declining CPC is doubly beneficial to marketers trying to stretch ad budgets, according to this article.